MEMBERS of the public are being promised a greater say in key issues in a big shake-up in the way Congleton Borough Council is run.

The council formally switched to a new Cabinet-style structure on Thursday.

Regular public question times, open meetings and debates will be among the new measures designed get more people involved.

Council leader Rod Fletcher said: 'After consultation with the public we feel this is by far the most democratic way forward and the most beneficial for the people of Congleton Borough.'

The authority's managing director Peter Cooper said: 'We undertook two phases of public consultation, giving everyone a say on the broad options and the fine detail, before deciding on the cabinet structure.

'We hope the new system will make debates more important and interesting, whilst engaging the public more.'

Previously, all 48 members of the full council had ultimate responsibility for all the authority's powers, duties and functions.

But the sheer volume of business made it essential to delegate decisions to smaller numbers of councillors in committees or sub-committees, or to officers.

Now, after new Government rules requiring councils to speed up decision-making and increase accountability, Congleton Borough decided to change to a system of a leader and an executive.

The full council will still decide on policies and strategies, the budget and Council Tax.

But committees will be created to determine matters such as planning, licensing and enforcement of regulations.

The cabinet will meet every three weeks in public to make decisions, and the public will be able to ask questions at committees or with written notice at council meetings.

Cllr Rab Parry, portfolio holder for resources, said: 'This has been in planning for around two years and now we will see how it works in practice.

'There will be some tweaking because it is new, but we will learn from the process and welcome any suggestions of improvement from the public.'